These veggie egg rolls don't require that much prep time. — Photo by Threemanycooks.com

Quick Vegetable Egg Rolls
Makes about 8 egg rolls, but recipe easily doubles

Egg rolls — you'd think they'd be hard to make. Not these. Check out the ingredient list. Besides frying oil, it's just 4 ingredients — coleslaw mix, peanut butter, scallions and egg roll wrappers. And here's the good news, you can par-fry the egg rolls ahead (a trick I learned at a Chinese restaurant a few years back). Once they're par-fried you can refrigerate them for a few days, so fry up half tonight and save the others for another night. When you're ready to enjoy them it's just two minutes from dropping them into the frying oil to dipping them into the sauce.

For added flavor and a great look, halve the egg rolls diagonally and dip each cut end into 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus another 2 cups for frying
1 package (8 ounces) coleslaw mix
Salt
¼ cup thinly sliced scallions
2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
8 egg-roll wrappers

Lime-Ginger Dipping Sauce (optional, see below)

Heat the 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium skillet until it starts to shimmer. Add coleslaw mix; stir-fry, seasoning lightly with salt, until just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour mixture into a medium bowl; stir in scallions and peanut butter until evenly distributed.

Place an egg-roll wrapper on a work surface, one of the point ends facing you. Place a generous 2 tablespoons of filling just below center, forming it into a log. Fold in both sides of the wrapper over filling. Starting at end closest to you, fold wrapper over filling, then roll it as tightly as you can; moisten wrapper end with wet fingertips and press it to the roll to seal.

Heat oil in a large saucepan or small Dutch oven to 300 degrees. Fry egg rolls, 4 at a time and turning once, until fried through, but still blond, about 2 minutes. Drain on a wire rack until ready to serve. (Par-fried egg rolls can be wrapped and refrigerated for several days.)

About 20 minutes before serving, heat oil again, this time to 375 degrees. Cook egg rolls, 4 at a time and turning once, until crisp and golden brown, about 2 minutes. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce or Lime-Ginger Dipping Sauce.

Lime-Ginger Dipping Sauce
Makes about 1/3 cup

Mix 2 tablespoons each: Asian fish sauce and lime juice; 1/2 teaspoon each: ground ginger and hot red pepper flakes; and 1 tablespoon each: sugar and water in a small bowl. Serve!

Next: Veggie lo mein. >>